Normal text should be incorporated into the syllabus as worded.  Most of this is under College Policies & Student Support Services, which may be given to students as a separate document.  This section is also available at the College Policies and Student Support website, which is also linked in all BlackBoard course shells.  Italicized text notes information that should be included but is often specific for each course.   Text in blue suggests possible wording.



Master Syllabus

Human Geography

GEOG 1302

 

All Geography faculty teaching this course are expected to include the following items in their course syllabus. Your individual policies are up to you, but you must include clearly stated policies as required below.

 

1.Section Specific Information


The instructor will give the following information to students:

         Instructor’s name

         Course name and abbreviation, course number, section number, and synonym number   

   Introduction to Human Geography

   GEOG 1302

   Synonym and section number 

   Campus, room and time of day

(e.g., Human Geography, GEOG 1302-004-73715 HLC Tues 10:30-11:50am) 

 

2. INSTRUCTOR SPECIFIC INFORMATION

The following instructor information should be on the syllabus:

     

As a general rule, instructors should avoid interacting with students through social media or providing personal phone numbers.




3. Course description

Credit Hours: 3

Classroom Contact Hours per week: ex two hours 40 minutes for 16 week class


 This course introduces students to fundamental concepts, skills, and practices of human geography. Place, space, and scale serve as a framework for understanding patterns of human experience. Topics for discussion may include globalization, population and migration, culture, diffusion, political and economic systems, language, religion, gender, and ethnicity.


Prerequisites: Must meet ACC proficiency requirements in Reading, Writing and Math (see the course catalogue or an advisor).


“Transferability of workforce courses varies. Students interested in transferring courses to another college should speak with their Area of Study (AoS) advisor, Department Chair, and/or Program Director.”


 

4. Course rationale

Instructor will include the following course rationale:


Introduction to Human Geography is designed to provide students with an understanding of the spatial distributions of cultures and the processes that led to these distributions. This understanding will allow students to apply general geographic knowledge and skills to their chosen careers, to apply the course towards an associate degree at Austin Community College, and to prepare them for success in upper division courses in Geography at other institutions.


5. Required texts/materials

List all texts/materials that students will need for the course including the author, title, edition, and year of publication.Any required readings, laboratory manual, or software should be listed here. One may also list optional texts, such as study guides. The textbooks must be on the approved textbook list as maintained by the Anthropology, Economics and Geography Department.  


6. The instructor will describe the Instructional Methodology

This statement identifies the format in which the instruction occurs: lecture, lecture/lab, group discussion,research based or group projects, laboratory, clinical,  co-op based, internship, practicum, online, hybrid, competency based.


 Distance Education: (for online or hybrid courses only)

Advise students, many of whom may be new to online learning, about the differences between online and traditional face-to-face learning. In particular, advise students of the time management and study skills required to be a successful online student. Encourage students new to distance education to review the ACC Distance Education General Information available at https://online.austincc.edu/faq/ Likewise, use of the college approved learning management system should be clearly stated for hybrid and online courses.  Some suggested wording might be:

“Students will use the Blackboard learning management system for assignment instructions, submitting assignments, and collaboration.”



STUDENT TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT

Austin Community College provides free, secure drive-up WiFi to students and employees in the parking lots of all campus locations. WiFi can be accessed seven days a week, 7 am to 11 pm. Additional details are available at https://students.austincc.edu/student-technology-access/.



Students who do not have the necessary technology to complete their ACC courses can request to borrow devices from Student Technology Services. Available devices include iPads, webcams, headsets, calculators, etc. Students must be registered for a credit course, Adult Education, or Continuing Education course to be eligible. For more information, including how to request a device, visit https://students.austincc.edu/student-technology-access/.



Student Technology Services offers phone, live-chat, and email-based technical support for students and can provide support on topics such as password resets, accessing or using Blackboard, access to technology, etc. To view hours of operation and ways to request support, visit https://students.austincc.edu/student-technology-access/.




 7. Course Evaluation/Grading System

Grading criteria should be clearly explained in the syllabus. The criteria should specify the number of exams and other graded material (exercises, term papers, homework, assignments, projects, etc.), and the weight assigned to them. Instructors should discuss the format of exams (multiple choice, short answer, essay, matching, combination, etc). Guidelines for other graded materials, such as homework or projects, should also be included in the syllabus. Having explicit detail in this section helps to more easily resolve issues with student grades should they arise. Links to grading and evaluation rubrics could also be included here.


8.  Course policies

Attendance / Class participation

Each instructor should clearly express their attendance and class participation policies. If there are specific policies for field or laboratory activities, they could be included here. The instructor also needs to be explicit about whether the class is synchronous or asynchronous, and what activities, e.g., discussion boards, have mandatory participation.Some suggested wording is:

Regular and punctual class and laboratory attendance is expected of all students. If attendance or compliance with other course policies is unsatisfactory, the instructor may withdraw students from the class.

 Or for online courses:

“Regular and timely class participation in discussions and completion of work is expected of all students. If attendance or compliance with other course policies is unsatisfactory, the instructor may withdraw students from the class.”


And to cover situations where classes are cancelled because of weather, pandemic or other emergencies:

The student is responsible for communicating with their professor during the closure and completing any assignments or other activities designated by their professor.



Missed Exam and Late work policies Each instructor should clearly express their policies with regard to missed exams, late homework or laboratory exercises, etc. Again, this helps immensely when dealing with student grade disputes.


Withdrawal Policy

This should be clearly stated.  The College defines withdrawals as occurring after the official reporting date of the semester, typically the 12th class day.  In addition, the Legislature has mandated the Rule of Six (see below).  There may also be financial aid issues.


It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that his or her name is removed from the roll should he or she decide to withdraw from the class. The instructor does, however, reserve the right to drop a student should he or she feel it is necessary. If a student decides to withdraw, he or she should also verify that the withdrawal is recorded. The Final Withdrawal Date for this semester is [insert date here]. The student is also strongly encouraged to retain their copy of the withdrawal form for their records.The student is also strongly encouraged to keep any paperwork in case a problem arises.


 Students are responsible for understanding the impact that withdrawal from a course may have on their financial aid, veterans’ benefits, and international student status. Per state law, students enrolling for the first time in Fall 2007 or later at any public Texas college or university may not withdraw (receive a W) from more than six courses during their undergraduate college education. Some exemptions for good cause could allow a student to withdraw from a course without having it count toward this limit. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with an advisor when making decisions about course selection, course loads, and course withdrawals.”


Incompletes

This policy should also be clearly stated.  Recommended wording is:

“An incomplete (grade of "I") will only be given for extenuating circumstances.  What constitutes “extenuating circumstances” is left to the instructor’s discretion,while following any rules or guidelines set by the department.   If a grade of I is given, the remaining course work must be completed by a date set by the student and professor and given on the “Report of Incomplete” form.  This date may not be later than two weeks prior to the end of the following semester.  A grade of I also requires completion and submission of the Incomplete Grade form, to be signed by the faculty member (and student if possible) and submitted to the department chair.


 

Students may request an Incomplete from their faculty member if they believe circumstances warrant.  The faculty member will determine whether the Incomplete is appropriate to award or not.  The following processes must be followed when awarding a student an I grade. 

1.      Prior to the end of the semester in which the “I” is to be awarded, the student must meet with the instructor to determine the assignments and exams that must be completed prior to the deadline date.  This meeting can occur virtually or in person.  The instructor should complete the Report of Incomplete Grade form.

2.      The faculty member will complete the form, including all requirements to complete the course and the due date, sign (by typing in name) and then email it to the student.  The student will then complete his/her section, sign (by typing in name), and return the completed form to the faculty member to complete the agreement.  A copy of the fully completed form can then be emailed by the faculty member to the student and the department chair for each grade of Incomplete that the faculty member submits at the end of the semester.   

3.      The student must complete all remaining work by the date specified on the form above.  This date is determined by the instructor in collaboration with the student, but it may not be later than the final withdrawal deadline in the subsequent long semester.  

4.      Students will retain access to the course Blackboard page through the subsequent semester in order to submit work and complete the course. Students will be able to log on to Blackboard and have access to the course section materials, assignments, and grades from the course and semester in which the Incomplete was awarded.  

5.      When the student completes the required work by the Incomplete deadline, the instructor will submit an electronic Grade Change Form to change the student’s performance grade from an “I” to the earned grade of A, B, C, D, or F. 

If an Incomplete is not resolved by the deadline, the grade automatically converts to an “F.”  Approval to carry an Incomplete for longer than the following semester or session deadline is not frequently granted.”


 

 9. Course Outline/Calendar

The syllabus should contain a course outline for the lecture (and laboratory), outlining what students will be doing on what days, identifying test dates and other due dates. Instructors are encouraged to add a statement of variance, such as:

“Please note that schedule changes may occur during the semester. Any changes will be announced in class and posted as a Blackboard Announcement (or other resource faculty is using to communicate).


 

 10. Student Learning Outcomes

Course Objectives

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES, GENERAL EDUCATION COMPETENCIES, & SCANS

This is the section in which the student learning outcomes for the course and program are listed. Departments have identified student learning outcomes for every course and for every discipline/program for which they offer an award. In addition, all Core Curriculum courses should list the general education outcomes that they address. If instructors have additional student learning outcomes, they should list them here as well. 

Course Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes

The following common objectives will be included on the syllabus: (The instructor may modify the wording as he sees fit and he is free to add additional objectives.)

By the end of this course, the student:

 

will be able to describe what geography and human geography are.

will understand the importance of geographic tools and philosophy.

will understand the central processes determining places.

will understand the basics of human-environmental interaction.

 

 


Discipline Program Student Learning Outcomes

PSLO 1 - Maps -Students will employ and analyze maps to study surfaces of the Earth.

PSLO 2 - Places-Students will explore places to determine similarities and differences between places throughout the world

PSLO 3 - People -Students will explain the basic components of culture and how humans create places on Earth

PSLO 4 - Environment-Students will assess the human impact on the Earth and the influence of the Earth's environment on human culture

PSLO 5 - Spatial Organization- Students will analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments on the Earth's surface

General Education Competencies in this course

        Civic and Cultural Awareness - Analyzing and critiquing competing perspectives   in a democratic society; comparing, contrasting, and interpreting differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas, aesthetic traditions, and cultural practices

       

        Critical Thinking - Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying   information.

       

        Written, Oral and Visual Communication - Communicating effectively, adapting   to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.


College Policies can be provided in an addendum to the syllabi.  Please see addendum for college policies for all disciplines.

College Policies & Student Support Services – Fall, '24.docx